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On Global Democracy U.S. Is Huge Failure

Even with troops build up in Afghanistan, unless a political solution prevails there, the so-called "victory" that American commanders speak of will prove elusive. After all, who exactly is the "enemy" in Afghanistan? In addition to the Taliban and other armed groups, Hamid Karzai's corrupt and usurper regime â€“with his drug King pin brotherâ€” which recently stole elections is as much a liability.

[Black Star News Editorial]

While the focus within the U.S. is currently on Afghanistan and President Obama's upcoming announcement to boost American troop numbers there, the United States has scored a spectacular foreign policy failure in its handling of the Honduras debacle.

An illegal coup d’état regime has been legitimatized. The crowning will be complete when the illegal regime presides over sham elections this weekend. All this could have been prevented had the United States compelled the restoration of the democratically elected president Manuel Zelaya.

Whatever faults he may have had, Zelaya was the legally elected president of Honduras. The country had embarked on a democratic trend, whereby political differences are not settled by overthrowing an elected government.

Yet Zelaya was unconstitutionally ousted by the military which then replaced him with a lackey and the president's political rival. Rather than demanding for the immediate restoration of the president, the United States sent mixed signals. It failed to acknowledge that a coup d’état had in fact occurred. When a president is dragged in his pajamas, loaded into a plane and forcefully flown out of the country and stripped of power, what would you call that?

Not only did the U.S. tolerate the illegal takeover in Honduras, it acquiesced in the kidnapping of an elected sitting president.

Now in a recent letter to Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva President Obama has indicated that the U.S. believes Honduras can open a fresh page after elections this weekend. That things can begin from "zero." This is a preposterous position. What is to stop another Honduran president from being ousted, given the acquiescence to Zelaya's overthrow? How many zeros can Honduras, and other countries with tyrannical regimes endure?

The Honduras failure is spectacular because it sends all the wrong signals to tyrants and would-be coup leaders around the world. In many respects, it also proves that the Ugly American of old still lives when it comes to dealing with less powerful nations.

Would the United States have continued dealing with any regime that illegally seized power in a European country through the military? Of course not. The EU would lead the charge in cutting off the lifeline of such a regime and the U.S. would follow suit. If Europeans deserve democratic governance, and a government installed by the voters, why shouldn't Hondurans similarly have this right?

Even with troops build up in Afghanistan, unless a political solution prevails there, the so-called "victory" that American commanders speak of will prove elusive. After all, who exactly is the "enemy" in Afghanistan? In addition to the Taliban and other armed groups, Hamid Karzai's corrupt and usurper regime –with his drug King pin brother— which recently stole elections is as much a liability.

In West Africa, Guinea's military junta recently unleashed thugs against the populace which had peacefully demonstrated against the tyranny. A reported 150 civilians were killed and scores of women raped in public. The initial U.S. response was outrageous and tepid. Perhaps Washington was hoping to score a uranium mining concession deal with the junta before China did. In any event, the U.S. later sent a high level State Department official who denounced the regime and informed the leader, Captain Diddias Camara, that there would be "consequences" if he were to reverse his promise and run for president this January.

Why should the Guinea regime take the U.S. officials seriously in light of the hypocrisy with respect to Honduras? The civil opposition in Guinea had demonstrated in public because many had believed the message in President Obama's Accra, Ghana, speech.

The President had announced that the days of dictators and big men in Africa were over. The future of Africa belonged to its youth; yet when the youth took this message to the streets, they were mowed down with bullets and their sisters and mothers sexually violated including with gun barrels.

Camara may now take his chances and run for president in January. Other African countries, including Kenya and Uganda, both nototious for sham elections, will vote in the coming years.

Honduras holds its sham elections this weekend while the legitimate president remains hiding in the Brazilian embassy--Brazil's President Lula and several South American leaders have denounced the upcoming vote.

Does the voice of the electorate really matter? Has the quest for global democratization died in the streets of Afghanistan, Honduras and Guinea?